In one single picture I took on my walk around our yard this morning, I found so many shades of green in our yard that I could not count them all. Some were made due to shadows, others from the sun. Some shades were light because they were new leaves, others were darker as they were older leaves. Some shades stood out, some were subtle. Take a walk. It will clear your head for writing and you will see shades you never knew existed. And that will make for better writing. I also took pictures of my two favorite trees on our property. The first one here is my favorite. These photos are un-retouched: Happy Writing! ~Tricia

This morning, while preparing some paperwork (a brochure) for an upcoming workshop I'm teaching on blogging, I had to stop working, set the work aside, and run an errand. While stopping work in the middle of a project may seem frustrating at the time, this turned out to be a great thing for me. When I came back to the project, I noticed a mistake I had missed before. Fresh eyes help us see things more clearly, things we might otherwise miss in our writing. So, advice for the day: Go away......but come back to a more productive experience. Happy Writing, ~Tricia

Yes, I know it's the day after Mother's Day, but that day in my house is very busy, mainly with me on the phone with my many children, so there was no time for blogging. It's so great to hear from them all in one day! The three still at home showered me with gifts and love and we enjoyed the day together. On another of my blogs, Tuesday Theology , I shared a story about a heart-wrenching experience that many moms will understand. I've had quite a bit of response to that blog post and I thought I'd share it here, too. In one of my Helpful Quotes for Writer s on TheTotalWriter.com , I tell my students to weave feelings into their writing. This featured blog post shows exactly what I mean by that. Write well today. ~Tricia

I love spring right now more than I ever have. Last year, we moved to a warmer climate and not only did I not experience the "winter dread" of Minnesota, I actually enjoyed winter much like I used to when I was younger. Yesterday, after three days of heavy rains (you can see how heavy here ), the sun was shining and the air smelled so fresh and clean that my teenage boys commented on how good it smelled when we opened a window. You know if teenage boys notice a fresh smell, it must really be fresh! In honor of spring and all things fresh, The Total Writer website has a whole new look! I can't say it was because of some spring-like desire to make things fresh. No, I changed it up because my web-hosting situation changed and I had to come up with a new design really fast. In celebration of this new, updated look, I'm running a special on my book on writing, Write, then Publish. Today ! The book is on sale for just 99¢ for a limited time! Take advantage of this of...

Write daily. Publish if you want, but write regardless of whether you publish or not. I write daily. I publish periodically. Whether you write a chapter to a novel or a clever tweet on Twitter, it's important to write daily. Writing daily keeps your mind fresh. Writing daily helps ideas flow. Writing daily helps your writer's focus. Writing daily is fun. Writing daily is good discipline. So, write. Daily. See what happens. ~Tricia

We all fear something at some time for some reason. I know a lot about fear. I know how fear works and how it can derail a perfectly good day and fill it with anxiety. I also know how to turn the tables on fear so that it does not dominate your life. My latest e-book, The Fear Manual , will show you how fear operates and how to put it and keep it in its place. A quick and easy read, The Fear Manual takes you to an understanding of fear that will make you realize it no longer has any power in your life at all. Using an offensive approach to fear, I've helped so many people overcome their fear and live a more productive and fulfilling life that I decided it was high time to put this in an e-book for all to read. I outline my offensive approach in this book and show you how and why fear is not to be feared. Get your copy today! ~Tricia

Are you interested in people reading your blog? I read a few blogs on a regular basis. I also try to branch out and explore new blogs so as not to limit myself or allow myself to get into a box with my writing. In exploring a few blogs recently, I've come across a few things that really turned me away from these blogs. I wanted to share them with you so you could analyze your own blog and see if it's reader-friendly. The top 3 things that turned me away from other blogs in the last month: 1. Music . I have clicked into more than one blog in the past month that immediately starts blaring music. I find this extremely annoying for a number of reasons. #1, I often work on my computer during our school hours, so my kids are studying at the same table where I'm studying. Music starting unexpectedly is disruptive. #2, I often play my own music when I'm working on my computer. During non-school hours, I like to have my own playlist going and find blog music too intrusive...